Graphic Novel Roundup: Back To The Future, Ghostbusters, Star Trek, and BSG

Back to the Future creator/screenwriter Bob Gale returns with all-new tales from the twisting and turning timeline that made Back to the Future a, well… TIMELESS pop-culture phenomenon! Take a trip back to 1985 and be there when Doc Brown and Marty McFly first meet, and then jump even farther back, to 1945, to witness Doc’s involvement in the super-secret Manhattan Project. Collects issues #1–5.

Review:
This is a fun collection of humorous tales told from mostly Doc’s point of view. In many time periods and alternate realities, this is an eclectic mix of stories. It’s definitely word-heavy rather than action. And the artwork is great and colorful and fits the light-hearted feel. I really enjoyed this book.

There’s something strange in the neighborhood… and whether that neighborhood is in New York City or Venice, Italy, the Ghostbusters will be there! After a bust at the United Nations, the boys in gray are engaged to investigate an Old World haunting, where they begin to unravel a mystery that sends them around the globe (while still trying to keep their contract with the City, County, and State of New York!).

Review:
I know there have been Ghostbusters comics for a while now, but this is the first I’ve read. I have no idea who some of the main characters were. But it was still a fun, suspenseful story with plenty of humor and bizarre, supernatural creatures. The artwork is more comical than I prefer. It took me a while to figure out who Peter and Ray were supposed to be. No one looked remotely like the actors from the films. But if you can get past that, it’s an enjoyable story – and I look forward to reading more.

Celebrate the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the STAR TREK franchise with this all-new adventure! At the edge of explored space, Captain Kirk and the crew of the Starship Enterprise come face to face with a new Klingon threat… with the fate of the galaxy at stake! Also includes the Klingon Language version of issue #1!

Review:
The e-galley I received only included the first 24 pages of this graphic novel. But from what I read, I definitely want to buy the full copy to read the rest. The artwork is fantastic! The characters and scenery are stunning. And the story is full of suspense… and Klingons. Fans of the new films will want to check these new stories out.

Finally, the origin of Lt. Starbuck can be told! Battlestar Galactica’s roguish Viper pilot, unbeatable gambler, and notorious womanizer has always been a mystery. How did he wind up a feral child on the planet Umbra, and when did he first fight Cylons alongside Commander Adama? What early adventures solidified his friendship with Apollo, and how will Starbuck react once he discovers the identity of the traitor responsible for destroying his family? It’s the world-shaking origin story that fans have been begging over thirty years for, as revealed by #1 New York Times best-selling author Tony Lee and artist Eman Casallos.

Review:
This is one I bought, as I want to read anything I can get my hands on of the classic Battlestar Galactica. Of course, Starbuck is a favorite character, so I was excited to read his origin story. This was a fun, fast-paced adventure from his boyhood days up to his swashbuckling heroics as a young pilot. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The artwork fit well, with only minor complaints. And I enjoyed the new (villain) characters as well.